Anyone But You
by Bookjunkie-22
Summary: Brooke Davis is a thirty five year old divorced single mother. Lucas Scott has never been married, doesn't have kids and doesn't want either, until he meets his new neighbor.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I don't own One Tree Hill or Anyone but You, a book by Jennifer Crusie which this fic is going to be loosely based on.

Summary- Brooke Davis, 35 and recently divorced with a fifteen-year-old daughter, Dylan, decides the thing she and Dylan need is a puppy. What she gets is Fred, the oldest laziest dog in the pound.

Lucas Scott, 37 is an ER doctor whose family wants him to pick a specialty in order to make more money. All Lucas wants is to stay in the ER where he thinks he belongs, play basketball with his brother Nathan, write from time to time and oh yeah… he wants to get his upstairs neighbor Brooke Davis into bed. But she only sees him as a kid, even if he is two years older than her.

* * *

The last thing Brooke Davis needed was Fred.

"I want a puppy." Is what Dylan had always said when she was younger. But Andrew had always said no, because he didn't like dogs.

So after a horrible hellish year of divorce proceedings Brooke decided what she and her daughter needed was a nice perky little dog to get their spirits up. So she walked up to the brown-uniformed women behind the scarred metal counter at the SPCA, and said, "I want a puppy. Something perky."

"Perky." The woman sighed, "Right this way… we got perky."

And 'perky' they had. A bunch of jumpy happy puppies is what the woman led Brooke to. Brown, black, white, gold, they had them all. Brooke was torn between at least three and that's when she did it. She glanced into the cage next to the barking perky puppies and saw him.

There was only one dog in that cage, and it was a midsize and depressed, too big for her apartment, and too melancholy for her state of mind. Brooke tried to turn back to the puppies, but somehow, she couldn't. The dog had huge bags under his dark eyes, and hunched shoulders, and a brown coat blotched with white. He sat on the damp concrete like a bunched up vulture, not barking or moving just staring at her. He looked like her great uncle Fred. She'd liked her great uncle Fred, and then one day his heart had gone as her mother put it and that had been that.

"Hello." She said, and the dog lifted his head a little so she stooped down and reached through the cage door to scratch his ears. He looked at her then closed his eyes in appreciation for the scratch.

"What's wrong with him?" Brooke asked the attendant.

"Nothing," the woman said, "He's part basset, part beagle," she checked the card on his cage, "Or he might be psychic. This is his last day."

Brooke's eyes went wide, "You mean…" The attendant nodded. Brooke looked down at the dog, and the dog looked back at her, death in his eyes.

_Oh God._

Brooke did not need this dog. Neither did Dylan. They needed a perky happy puppy to cheer them up. They couldn't cater to a depressed dog. Any dog but this one.

"I'll take him." A voice she sorta recognized said. Then she realized it was her own. _Great._

"That's your idea of perky?"

* * *

Lucas Scott was stretched out on a bed in an empty examination room in the Riverbed General ER, trying to forget his family, and get some sleep before another emergency broke out, when his younger brother came in and dropped a six pack in a brown paper bag on his chest. 

"Hey!" Lucas exclaimed, curling to absorb the blow and then saw it was Nathan, and stretched back out again. Pain in conjunction with his family was normal, "Go away, I'm sleeping. And take the damn beer with you before someone sees you."

Nathan pulled a beer out of the sack and opened it while leaving the other five on Luke's stomach, as he collapsed onto the plastic orange chair. Lucas groaned and closed his eyes hoping Nathan would take it as a hint to leave.

He didn't.

"You know if you didn't spend your nights chasing women, you wouldn't get this tired during your shift."

Lucas contemplated not answering, maybe Nathan would think he's asleep, but he answered in spite of himself, "I did not spend my night chasing a girl. I took Lindsay to dinner. She started talking about marriage. I took her home. The end."

"It's because you've got that blond good guy look," Nathan told him, "You've got nice guy written all over you. Now me I look like a rat."

Lucas kept his eyes shut as a hint. "Yes you do. Go away Rat."

"Of course it's too late to pretend you're a rat around here since everyone already knows you." Nathan added in thought.

Lucas thought about snarling at him to go away, before deciding against it. He liked Nathan, and given his family, a relative he was happy to see, other than his mother was a rarity. "So Rat what's the deal with Haley?"

"What?" Nathan asked taken aback.

Lucas gestured to the beer balanced on his stomach, "What has my ex-sister in law slash best friend done now? Something about Jamie?"

"Haley has done nothing. I haven't heard from her in like a week, and Jamie's fine. He's seventeen years old, he's all raised and everything."

So Haley_hasn't _called. Leave it to his brother to decide to get wasted when his ex-wife didn't call. Of course leave it to his brother to still be in love with his ex.

"I ran into dad." Nathan said changing the subject, Lucas groaned, "And my mom, your mom and Uncle Keith."

"What do they want?"

"What do you think they want?" Nathan asked, "They all want you to pick something. Dad thinks you'd make a good oncologist. My mom says you'd be good as one of those drug and alcohol doctors, and of course your mom and Keith want you out of harms way, so something easy and not catching like whatever a skin doctor is called."

"Dermatologist." Lucas sighed.

Nathan waved his hand as if to say, _whatever_, "They all want to have drinks tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is _my_ birthday. Don't you think I should be able to choose what I want to do?" Nathan shook his head.

"See you at nine? After everyone else gets a turn?"

Lucas nodded, "Bring the beer."

"Always."

"Lucas." A nurse poked her head in the room, "We need you."

"I hate you." Luke added to Nathan, "I could have had fifteen minutes of sleep if it wasn't for you."

* * *

"Dylan?" Brooke called poking her head in the apartment.

"What did I do now?" her daughter called back from her room.

Brooke rolled her eyes and led Fred into the apartment and placed him on the couch, "Dyl, come out here for a minute." Dylan called back an okay but Brooke was still alone in the living room five minutes later, "Dilly, don't dally." She called with a smirk.

"Hilarious Brooke, really funny." Dylan said walking out of her room, "I've never heard that one before.

"Stop calling me Brooke." She said sternly.

"What is_that_?" Dylan asked staring at Fred.

"_That_ is Fred. Our dog."

"You got a dog?" Someone yelled from the kitchen.

"Aunt Peyton's here." Dylan said still staring uneasily at the dog, "Don't worry Peyton it's not a dog. I think it's just a lump they told her was a dog. Is it even breathing?"

"Yes!" Brooke said annoyed, she reached out to pet Fred, who immediately leaped into her lap kissing her face.

"What is_that_?" Peyton asked entering the room with a glass of something from Brooke.

Brooke took a sip and choked on the amaretto, "Oh jeez Peyt. What did Jake do now?"

"He told me I wasn't Jenny's mother."

Brooke put her head in her hands. She loved Jake really she did, but he could be so stupid sometimes.

"You're not though. Jen's mom is some crack addict." Dylan said sitting next to the dog, "Oh Brooke this thing smells."

"He just needs a bath," Brooke said, "And you're not being helpful."

"I'm the only mother she's known in the last seventeen years." Peyton said.

"I know honey." Brooke nodded putting her glass down.

Dylan glanced at the dog tag around it's neck, "I can't believe you named it Fred."

Peyton scrunched up her face, "Oh my God, he does look like your Uncle Fred."

"I know right?" Brooke said standing up to look at him. Fred stared at both of them then moaned pitifully falling into Dylan's lap, "So why did Jake tell you you're not Jenny's mother, who by the way is not a crack addict but still not a very nice lady."

"Some stupid argument." Peyton said sinking into a chair while Brooke grabbed the Oreos, "It's just we've been together since high school. Nikki is long gone and Jenny's 18. Why does Jake have such a problem with me being her mother? He had no problems when she turned thirteen and got her first period. Or when she went on the pill. In fact he was grateful I was there. I really don't know what to do Brooke. I love him and I love her, but after seventeen years Jake is still treating this like a temporary high school romance. Shouldn't we be married right now? Like you and Andrew were?"

"Not a good example." Brooke winced.

"Still. He married you when you guys had Dilly."

"Oh yeah Andrew called." Dylan said from her spot on the floor trying to coax Fred to fetch a ball she threw.

"Dad. Dad called." Brooke said, rolling her eyes, "He is your father and I am your mother."

"He wants you to call him back." Dylan went on as if Brooke hadn't said a word.

"Yeah, I'll bet he does." Brooke sighed, "Come on Fred. We're gonna learn how to go down the fire escape."

"In case of emergency?" Dylan asked.

"No, so I don't have to rush home every couple hours to take him out." Brooke propped a box up next to the window, "The yard is fenced in. He can let himself in and out. Come on Puppy."

"He's not a puppy." Peyton said.

"Let her have her delusions Aunt Peyton. She still thinks it's a dog."

"Cut the smart ass routine Dylan." Brooke said loosing her patience.

"Yes ma'm." Dylan sighed.

"Come on, Peyt." Brooke said gesturing out the fire escape, "Have you mentioned marriage to him?"

"Well no I mean, I never really thought of myself as one of those women who_wanted_ marriage, but I'm sitting there and we're arguing and all I can think is, I'm not his wife. He can walk out of here and not come back ever, cause I'm just his girlfriend. His high school sweetheart. I'm thirty-five years old Brooke. I want the whole package, ya know? A white wedding-"

"Off-white." Brooke interrupted with a small smile.

"With you, Jen, and Dilly as my bridesmaids, Jake up at the alter in a black suit, and I want to throw the bouquet instead of being the one catching it."

"Then you have to tell Jake that in no uncertain terms P. Sawyer." Peyton nodded.

* * *

Lucas collapsed on his couch turning on the tv. There was nothing on. There never was, but he had hoped. It was almost ten o'clock, and he glanced to his right and reached out to pet the basset hound sitting next to him-

"What the hell?" he asked jerking his hand away, "I don't have a dog." He added to no one. The dog turned to stare at his open window. Lucas rolled his eyes, "Of course."

Catching sight of his tags Lucas pulled the dog closer, "Let's see, Fred Davis. Oh your one floor up buddy. Come on I'll get you back to your owners."

* * *

"Where the hell is he?" Brooke asked no one, cause Dylan had lost interest, _easy come easy go_, is what she had said before turning on the tv.

"Fred!" Brooke called, then added to Dylan, "You're an ungrateful child."

"I didn't ask for a dog, Brooke."

"Mom! My name is mom." She said angrily with her head out the window searching for her dog, when she heard a knock on the door.

She pulled it open and found herself face to face with a tall blond guy, "Can I help you?"

"Are you Fred's mom?" he asked moving to reveal her basset beagle mix.

* * *

Okay well there's chapter one. I hope you guys like it. Let me know by reviewing.

-Em


	2. Chapter 2

"Fred!" Brooke exclaimed sweeping him into a hug, "I thought I'd lost you forever." She glanced at Lucas, "Thank you." She beamed at Lucas as she put Fred down and he ran for the couch with Dylan, "Thank you so much. Where did you find him?"

"He was sitting on my couch when I got home." He held out his hand to her, "I'm Lucas Scott, I live in the apartment below you."

Brooke blinked a little dazed, "On your couch? He was sitting on your couch?"

"Surprised me too." Lucas grinned, "I think he climbed in through the fire escape."

His grin was a killer, broad and friendly, and a little bit evil, but also Brooke noted young. His grin was that of a child's. She'd seen a grin like that on Dylan's face. But nevertheless she felt her pulse flutter in response. She turned to Fred, "I told you its two flights up. You have to climb all the way up to the third floor. You can't just pick any window and climb in."

"You taught him to climb the fire escape?" Lucas asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah in like ten minutes." A young girl said walking over and opening the door fully, "I told her she should start a dog training school. Though you probably don't want to mention this part." She added.

Brooke sighed, and laughed despite herself, "Lucas Scott, this is my daughter Dylan."

"Nice to meet you Dylan." Lucas said offering her his hand.

"Right." She nodded, "Brooke I'm going to bed. School in the morning."

"It's mom."

"Night." Dylan said to Lucas, who nodded.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Sorry. I can't thank you enough, Mr. Scott."

"Lucas." His eyes went back to Fred, "So how long has he been climbing the fire escape?"

"Just since this afternoon," Brooke said then added out of habit, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." His eyes came back to hers, and Brooke guessed he was only about twenty-five. God she was having inappropriate thoughts about a man ten years younger than she was - hell ten years older than her daughter who was in the next room. "If Fred hadn't climbed through my window, I wouldn't have met you," he continued bringing her back from her thoughts, "And I think knowing your neighbors is important. Of course I haven't met you yet. Let's try this again." He held out his hand to her, "I'm Lucas Scott."

"Oh." Brooke said flustered, "I'm Brooke Davis."

"Hello Brooke Davis." His hand was large and warm but that didn't change the fact that he was an infant compared to her.

"Hey!" Lucas exclaimed, and Brooke turned just in time to see Fred climb out the window again, "No Fred!" she yelled as Lucas moved past her.

She followed him to the window and they both watched Fred trot down the fire escape where he promptly watered the dumpster, before turning back and coming back up the stairs.

"Smart dog." Lucas chuckled, "Did you teach him to do that?"

"I taught him the stairs." Brooke grinned, "He already knew how to lift his leg."

"Smart woman." He said smiling into her eyes.

_Oh, boy_. "Would you like a coke?" she asked and then kicked herself. The last thing she needed was a totally sexy underage male drinking coke in her kitchen.

"Love one." Lucas grinned.

* * *

Fred –and Dylan- had a very hot mom. Lucas couldn't help but admire her as she reached into the cupboard for glasses.

He sat down at the table trying not to stare at her, but failing. Very attractive woman. He owed Fred.

She took the two glasses and opened the freezer automatically putting her hand up to push the large glass-covered pot on top of the fridge further back. The she scooped ice into the mugs and nudged the door closed, and Lucas admired her efficiency and her arms at the same time.

"Thank you." He said when she placed the cans in front of him on the table, "Thank you for bringing Fred back." She said smiling softly at him, and he felt dizzy for a minute.

"I'm sorry Fred came through your window."

"I'm not." He said, "This way we get to talk. It's a good building and now it's better because you're here." She flushed and he thought to himself, _not used to getting compliments, huh?_ And wondered if there was a man in her life and if so, why wasn't she used to getting compliments.

"I haven't met anyone else yet." She poured herself some soda, "Well I mean I've met the landlord, of course, but Dylan and I are always so busy."

"Everyone's pretty nice here." He shrugged, "Mostly we all keep to ourselves."

"Except my dog." Brooke turned to glare at Fred, who moaned annoyed and went back to sleep, "Don't go climbing in Lucas's window anymore." She added and Lucas said, "Well, let's not get carried away here. I can always use the company."

She smiled at him and Lucas lost his place in the conversation. She looked so warm and serene and welcoming.

_Oh hell._

"Are you alright?" Brooke asked. And he thought, _Get out of here Lucas before she makes you Fred and Dylan's new daddy. You don't want kids remember? That's why you broke up with… Damnit what was her name?_ She'd been blond. That's all he could remember which meant it was time to go. "Yeah I'm great. I better go now. Thank you for the coke."

"Thank you for Fred." She smiled leading him to the door, while he tried to remember the name of the woman he'd been seeing for the past six weeks. Why couldn't he remember her? It had to be his age. He was going to be thirty- seven tomorrow, and already his mind was going. What the hell was her name?

"Lindsay." He said and the woman in from of him shook her head and said, "No Brooke."

He blinked down into her dark brown eyes, which was how he'd gotten into this mess in the first place, "I know you're Brooke. I was just trying to remember the name of my…dog."

Brooke beamed, "You have a dog? That's why Fred came through your window? He was looking for a friend?"

"No Lindsay was my… never mind." Lucas shook his head. "Anyway Fred had the right idea. I could use a friend myself."

She held out her hand, "Well you have two upstairs now." She then paused, "Three if you want to count Dylan. I think she liked you."

"She said three words to me." Lucas said with a smile, taking her hand trying to ignore how warm and soft it was.

Brooke nodded, "Trust me."

_I do._ He abruptly dropped her hand, and said, "Gotta go. See ya Fred." He called back over his shoulder and then he escaped into the hall and down the stairs.

* * *

"Who is she?" Haley asked with a grin.

"Who is who?" Lucas asked.

It was their tradition, every year on Luke's birthday they went to breakfast where Haley proceeded to drive him crazy with question upon question.

"The girl you're thinking about. Do I know her?" Haley asked taking a bite of his pancakes.

"There is no girl." He lied.

"Yeah right." She said, "Luke we've been best friends for thirty years, I can tell when you're lying to me and I can also tell when you're into a girl. Now tell the truth."

Lucas sighed, "She lives in the apartment above me, she has a kid, and a dog. Her dog climbed in through my window from the fire escape yesterday night. That's all."

"A kid?" Haley grinned, "And you're not fleeing."

"No, because I'm not interested." _Much._

"Liar." Haley said but let it go.

"Oh yeah and what about Nathan?"

"What about Nathan?" she asked annoyed.

"Oh nothing just that you both still love each other but your too bone headed to admit it." He said.

"Shut up." She groaned.

* * *

"I read an article on menopause yesterday." Brooke said to Peyton who was sitting on the decorative rug on Brooke's living room floor.

"Why?" Peyton asked incredulous.

"Cause I'm thirty-five." She shrugged, "It says perimenopause starts in the fourties."

"Brooke, you are still a young vibrant woman for god's sake." Peyton sighed, "You have a fifteen year old."

"Exactly. Peyton I'm not young anymore. I wasted my youth with Andrew and now I'm just an old lady." Peyton rolled her eyes, "Seriously though," Brooke grasped her breasts through her flannel pajama top, "These used to be a lot higher and firmer. What man is going to want a woman with boobs that are on the floor?" she asked rhetorically.

"So get a push up bra." Peyton shrugged, "Brooke, you're sitting here worrying about nothing. You're still the sexy ho I knew in high school."

"Brooke!" Dylan called walking through the door.

Brooke closed her eyes and sighed, "What is it Dyl?"

"I hate this school and I hate these people!" she yelled slamming the door, scaring Fred who'd come to receive attention from his younger owner.

"What happened baby?" Peyton asked patting the floor next to her.

"Nothing, I just hate them." Dylan said shaking her head, sinking to the floor with her mother and aunt.

Brooke put her arm around Dylan, while she grabbed her mother's amaretto milkshake, "Hey."

"I had a hard day." Dylan said taking a big gulp.

"Like mother, like daughter." Peyton laughed.

"Speaking of mothers and daughters… what happened with Uncle Jake?" Dylan asked.

Peyton sighed, then groaned, "He's not ready for a commitment."

"After seventeen years?" Brooke asked, "I'm gonna kill him."

"Get in line." Peyton said, "But I'm not leaving and neither is he. I love him and Jenny too much to leave, and he loves me… even if he is an idiot."

"Peyton-" Brooke started but Dylan cut her off with a tiny elbow in the rib.

* * *

Brooke was sewing when she heard a knock on her door. She glanced at the clock and it was almost eleven, assuming it was Peyton or one of Dylan's friends, if she'd made any yet, she put on her flannel robe and went to answer it, only to have her heart thump loudly in her ears when she found Lucas leaning in her doorway. He was in dressy clothes with his tie loose and lopsided around his neck.

"Hi." He said slowly, "Remember me?"

"Yes." She peered at him. He did a little weaving on the doorsill, his eyes bright but half closed, "Been drinking have we?"

Lucas laughed and said, "I don't know about you, but I have. It's my birthday. My whole damn family took me out and bought me a drink. One at a time. All day." He frowned at her, as if trying to bring her into focus, "Do you have any coffee? I only ask because you looked like a woman who would have coffee when I was up here yesterday."

_Great. The teeny bopper thinks I'm a mom._ Brooke then reminded herself she was a mom and nodded, thinking she was pathetic for having hot thoughts about him all day, "I have coffee."

Lucas nodded as she let him pass, catching sight of the clock, "Oh damn it's late. Dylan's probably sleeping, I'm sorry." He said moving to leave, when Brooke put a hand on his arm.

"Dylan." She yelled.

"Brooklyn." Dylan yelled back.

"That's not my name." Brooke sighed.

"Sorry." Dylan said, "What do you need _Brooke_?" She poked her head out of her room, "Oh hey Lucas right?"

Lucas did his best imitation of a sober person and nodded, "Hello Dylan. I'm just here to have a cup of coffee with your mother."

"Right." Dylan nodded, "And how much have you had to drink tonight?"

"Dyl, go back to your room." Brooke said pushing Lucas onto the couch and going to make the coffee.

"It's my birthday." Lucas added as an excuse to Dylan.

"Happy birthday." Dylan said fighting back a laugh.

"So how much _have_ you had to drink tonight?" Brooke asked coming back from the kitchen.

"Well, I had breakfast with my best friend Haley- Irish Coffee. Then I had lunch with my mother and my uncle Keith who also happens to be my step-father so that always gives me a head ache. At least enough of a head ache that I had two scotches. Then my step-mother asked me out for a drink and I hate saying no to her so I had a brandy. Then my dad took me out for dinner." He cocked his eyebrow at her, "When my father eats the liquor flows. I'm pretty sure I had three whiskies. Then he had a cab drop me off home where my younger brother was waiting for me with a six pack." He shook his head, "He just left and the room was spinning and I thought of you. Pour some caffeine in me and I'll leave you alone."

Brooke smirked, "Couldn't you have had seltzer or soda with one of them?"

"No," he shook his head then thought better of it, "Ouch that hurts. I had to have something to drown out the refrain."

Brooke sat down intrigued, "The refrain?"

Lucas nodded this time more carefully, "They all had different verses but when we got to the chorus they all said the same thing. 'Time to decided on a career Lucas.'" He then dropped his head to his hand, "I don't want to decided on a career. I think they're pushing me."

Brooke looked at him with disgust. She had the Peter Pan syndrome sitting on her couch. She sighed and began to finish the job his family started, "Well Luke, they may have a point. I realize twenty-five seems young but-"

Lucas cut her off with a laugh, "I'm thirty-seven." He laughed again, "Today. Happy birthday to me."

Thirty-seven. Brooke blinked at him, "You're what?"

"I am thirty seven years old today." He said slowly, "Coffee?"

"It's still dripping. You're thirty seven?"

"You thought I was twenty-five? Everyone thinks I'm younger than I am, but I've never gotten that before." He chuckled, "No wonder no one takes me seriously, if I look like I belong in a boy band."

"If you want people to take you seriously choosing a career would be a good place to start." She said shaking her head.

"Not you too." He groaned, "Listen, I'm happy where I am, doing what I'm doing. All I need is a cup of coffee, and I'll be ecstatic."

"Coming right up." She said standing. She'd been attracted to him and that had been ridiculous when she'd thought he was ten years younger than she was, but now she knew he was actually two years older than her… she shook her head. _No, no men. Men only cause problems. Look at Jake and Peyton._ "Be careful. It's hot." She added.

"Thanks, mom." He said and when she winced he added, "I'm kidding, dumb joke."

She shook her head, "I am a mom."

"Right. To Dylan and Fred."

She nodded, "Now come on, your future. What did you like in school?"

Lucas ginned, "Science. Science and english. This is really good coffee, what kind is it?"

"Don't try to change the subject. What do you like?"

"People, excitement, color. Pretty Girls who make me coffee."

"Concentrate, I'm trying to fix your life."

"You and my whole family." He drained his coffee mug, "I _like_ my life."

"How are you supporting yourself now?" she asked hoping for a direction to steer him in.

"I'm a doctor." He pushed the coffee cup in her direction, "Can I have some more?"

"You're a what?" Brooke asked and Dylan's laughter could be heard from behind her door.

* * *

Okay so theres chapter two. I'm glad you guys like this, though like I said I can't take all the credit. Jennifer Crusie created the basic plot, I just threw some One Tree Hill in there for fun.

Please review.

-Em


	3. Chapter 3

"You're a doctor?" Dylan asked once she stopped laughing.

"Yes." Lucas said, "Why is that so funny?"

"You're wearing a Alvin and the Chipmunks tie." She pointed out and the giggles started again.

"Dylan." Brooke tried to scold but she couldn't help laughing herself.

"If you two are done mocking me…" Lucas trailed off glaring at them, and cursing himself for enjoying it. _I'm drunk, of course I'm enjoying myself._ He shook his head while Brooke poured some milk for Dylan who looked like she was joining them.

"So why does your family have a problem with you being a doctor?" she asked.

"They don't. They have a problem with me being an ER doctor." He said then gave a shy shrug, "I like the ER. I have a very short attention span and there's always something going on there." When neither of the girls said anything Lucas added, "Plus I get to save lives, which makes me feel good about myself."

"Okay and what does your family want you to do?" Dylan asked beating Brooke to it.

"My dad wants me to be an oncologist, cause he thinks that's where the_ big_ bucks are. He's under the delusion that Nathan and I, Nate's my younger brother, are going to support him when he'd too old to work. My step-mom," he continued taking an Oreo Brooke offered him, but he gave it to Fred who suddenly showed up to beg for food. Brooke shook her head and handed him another one, "she wants me to work with Alcoholics and Drug addicts cause she used to be one, a few years back and I was the one who found out about it. So ever since then she's been trying to convince me to go into that kind of work. And then there's my mom and Keith-"

"Wait explain that one first. He's your uncle and step-father?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, well my mom dated Dan, my dad, in high school. He dumped her when he went to college but she was pregnant with me, and got Deb, my step-mom pregnant with Nathan in college. Then about ten years ago she married Keith, who had always loved her."

"Aw." Brooke said, while Dylan commented, "Who needs television when you have neighbors."

"Dylan Marie!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Brooklyn Penelope." Dylan said making Lucas chuckle.

"Sorry." He added when Brooke glared, "I'm drunk."

"Uh-huh. Stop feeding Fred cookies." She scolded getting up to pour some more milk for herself. She pushed the pot on top of the fridge back while opening the door.

"Why do you do that?" Lucas asked, squinting.

"Push the Crock- Pot?" she asked turning back to him, taking the coffee and replacing it with a glass of milk.

"Cause she's crazy." Dylan shrugged.

"Isn't it your bed time?" Brooke asked.

"It's Friday night, and since when do I have a bed time?"

Brooke ignored her and turned back to Lucas, "The top of the refrigerator is the only place I have to keep it, but the vibration from the motor makes it move forward." She squinted back at it, "I should move it but the cabinets are full."

"It's gonna fall on you." He said, "Move it."

"It's fine." Brooke said returning to her seat.

"Next time they ambush me, you two are coming with me to protect me." He said getting back on topic.

"So if you could do anything, without your family commenting or butting in what would you do?" Dylan asked.

Lucas stared at her, "How old are you?"

"Fifteen. Answer the question." She said without hesitation.

"Dylan, be polite." Brooke groaned.

"I'm always polite Brooke."

"I'd do what I do now," Lucas shrugged, "I'd be working at the ER, and playing basketball with Nathan in my free time and writing."

"You write?" Brooke asked.

Lucas almost blushed from embarrassment and nodded, " Just uh… just some stuff." He quickly got back to Dylan's question before Brooke could say anything else, "I don't want things to change. I like my life."

"You realize you sound like a teenager." Dylan said seriously, "I mean if we forget that part where you're a, _presumably_, good doctor, you're talking like you're eighteen and you don't want to graduate high school and change things like pick classes and stuff."

"Ouch." Lucas said, "This kid really knows how to hurt a guy, and on my birthday too. I feel bad for the boys that are gonna fall in love with you."

"You're probably afraid to get married, like Uncle Jake, but instead of admitting your afraid you just claim you don't want to or you don't see the point."

"And now she's kicking me while I'm down." Lucas said turning to Brooke while he ate another cookie.

"Dyl, sweetie leave Lucas alone." Brooke sighed, knowing by his reaction that every point Dylan just made was true. He may be older than her, but Lucas Scott was still a kid, and she didn't need a kid, she already had one.

Lucas reached for another cookie but Brooke snatched the bag away, "Hey." He whined.

"No, you've had enough. Your gonna get sick." She said.

"You're a mean mom." He complained.

"I know, right?" Dylan asked standing to kiss Brooke's cheek, "I'm going to bed. Happy Birthday Lucas." She started to leave but she spun around quickly, "You spend all your time talking about your family, but you won't say what you really want." Lucas sat back shocked, "I mean yeah you said the basketball and writing thing but what do you really want Lucas?" Dylan then left the room.

Lucas didn't say anything when Brooke got up to wash out her glass, they were both a little taken aback by Dylan's comment. When Brooke turned back to him he was staring at her and for a second her heart stopped, she was sure she saw heat in his eyes, but when he spoke all he said was, "I want Oreos." He glanced around, "And I want to be able to come back here and talk when I'm not drunk."

"Sure." Brooke said pushing the bag back towards him, "Help yourself. Anytime." His eyes met hers again, and she blushed, "To the Oreos."

"Right." Lucas said clearing his throat, "That's what I thought you meant."

* * *

"And where have you been lately, Missy?" Peyton asked Brooke as she entered the small boutique she managed. 

"Hey Peyton." Brooke smiled, stopping before she got to the counter, "Honey, blue is not a good color for you, try the greens." She added to a customer.

"Now if only you could give yourself the same advice." Peyton said observing the beige suit Brooke was sporting, "You are so good at telling everyone else what looks good on them."

"No one cares what I wear, P. Sawyer." Brooke sighed, "I'm the mother of a fifteen year old."

"The guy who lives in the apartment below you does." Peyton mumbled.

Brooke gasped, "How do you know about Lucas? I've only known him for a week." Brooke reached over Peyton to take the clothes a woman had decided she didn't want after trying them on.

"You're child has a very big mouth." Peyton shrugged, "So tell me about this doctor."

"There is nothing to tell." Brooke laughed, ringing out another customer while Peyton went to help someone who'd just walked in.

"Not what Dylan said." Was Peyton's reply when she returned.

"Do you think we should put the scarves out on clearance?" Brooke asked, hands on her hips, scrutinizing her options, "And Dylan is wrong."

"She said he's a thirty something year old doctor, who has the hots for you." Peyton said, then glanced at the scarves, "It's like eighty out. Who's gonna buy scarves in the middle of a heat wave?"

"Dylan also left out the part that he looks and acts like a kid." Brooke sighed.

"What do you mean acts like a kid? He's a doctor, Brooke. A _doctor_."

"He was wearing Alvin around his neck." Brooke said gathering up some scarves.

"Who's Alvin?" Peyton asked scrunching up her face.

"_And the Chipmunks_." Brooke replied.

"So he's whimsical." Peyton shrugged, "Look the point is he's just what you need right now."

"What I_need_?" Brooke asked confused as she started folding the scarves and placing them in the half off bin.

"A one night stand." Peyton all but yelled at her friend, "Something to get that stick out of your ass, B."

_Jeez_. Brooke dropped the scarf she was folding and glared at Peyton, "It hasn't been that long Peyton."

"Brooke, you filed for divorce –" Peyton broke off stopping a customer on her way to the dressing room with a dress cut all wrong for her, "Don't do that. Please."

Brooke laughed and pulled a dress from the rack next to her, "Try this one."

The woman nodded a little confused, but she took the dress anyway, and Peyton continued, "Where was I? Oh right. You filed for divorce a year ago. You haven't had sex since then, that is a pretty long time, Davis."

Brooke opened her mouth to respond when someone walked up behind her, "Excuse me do you have this in a larger size?"

Brooke looked at the woman then the garment in her hands, "Yes I do, but no you can't have it. Come with me, we'll find you something much more flattering."

* * *

Brooke got home late from work to find Fred alone glaring at her, "I know." She sighed, "I've been neglecting you. I'm sorry. But you know what, we're going for a walk today. You and me buddy. You're gonna love it." But fifteen minutes later when she'd changed into jeans and a t-shirt hooked on his leash it was clear Fred was not going to love it. Brooke managed to get him to the top of the stairs before he decided he wasn't going anywhere. So she carried him down the first flight and said sternly, "You're going for a walk." 

"Problems?" A woman standing outside Lucas's apartment asked. She was a little shorter than Brooke, with brown hair that almost looked blond.

"Oh you know just taking my dog for a drag." Brooke looked back down at Fred, "I'm hoping he'll get the hang of it before we hit the pavement."

The woman laughed and held out her hand, "I'm Haley James, this is my best friend's apartment."

"I'm Brooke Davis and this is Fred." She added motioning to the dog.

"Hi Fred." Haley said, and Fred stood up and walked over to smell her shoes.

"Fred don't be rude." Brooke scolded.

"Brooke?" Dylan questioned on her way up the stairs.

"Mom, my name is mom." Brooke said annoyed.

"What are you doing with Fred?" Dylan continued as if she hadn't heard.

"We're going for a walk." Brooke nodded towards Haley and said, "Dylan this is Haley, Luke's friend. Haley this is my daughter Dylan."

"Nice to meet you." Haley said, while Dylan nodded and said the same, "I'm just here to pick up my son. Sometimes he comes to Luke's after school."

Brooke looked at her watch, then turned back to her daughter, as Haley knocked on Lucas's door, "It's almost five o'clock. Where have you been? School got out over an hour ago."

"I took a walk." Dylan shrugged leaning down to scratch Fred behind the ears, "You are such an ugly dog, man."

"Dylan." Brooke said sternly when Lucas's door opened.

"He's in the living room Hales. Brooke, Dylan, what are you guys doing here?" Lucas asked, confused letting Haley by him, "Come on in."

"I was just taking Fred for a walk." Brooke said temporarily letting Dylan off the hook, "Besides you have company."

"Come in for a minute. I've seen your place it's only fair." Lucas said grabbing Dylan's arm before she could escape, "Hey Fred, want an Oreo?" Fred, who had been lying pathetically on the hall floor leapt up and ran into Luke's apartment before Brooke could grab the leash. He smiled at her while she walked in, "I guess you met Haley in the hallway."

Brooke smiled and nodded, "Yeah we did."

"Fred's waiting for his cookie." Dylan added leaning against the wall.

"This is my nephew Jamie." Lucas said grabbing an Oreo from his counter and tossing it to the dog, "Jamie these are my neighbors, Brooke Davis and Dylan… uh."

"Geller." Jamie finished when it was clear Lucas didn't know, "You're the girl that was going up against Beth Rodgers."

"What?" Brooke asked turning to face Dylan.

"It's nothing Brooke." Dylan shrugged.

"Is that where you were? Fighting some girl? For god sakes Dylan." Brooke said holding her head in her hand.

"Who were you fighting?" Lucas asked, looking between his nephew and Dylan, the latter was now throwing daggers at the former with her eyes. The former apologetically shrugged.

"It wasn't a fight." Dylan scoffed, "It was a disagreement."

"Who did you have a _disagreement_ with?" Brooke asked through gritted teeth.

"Can we not talk about this now?" Dylan asked pointedly gazing around the room.

Brooke sighed, "Nice to meet you both, but I have to walk Fred." She turned to face Dylan, "You, go do your homework."

Dylan mock saluted her and nodded a goodbye to Lucas, gave Jamie a glare and smiled in Haley's direction.

Brooke shook her head and backed out of Lucas's apartment despite his protests, "I'll see you later." She said closing the door behind herself.

"So that's the girl?" Haley asked with a grin, "I like her."

Lucas rolled his eyes, and turned to Jamie, "Who'd she get into a fight with and why?"

"Some junior was saying stuff about her. That's all I know I swear." Lucas nodded, and said, "I'm gonna assume this girl wasn't saying nice things."

"Everyone thinks Dylan's a little weird." Jamie admitted.

"Why?" Lucas asked confused.

"She's really smart." He shrugged.

"Did people think I was weird in high school?" Haley asked taking offense at the smart comment.

"Yes," Lucas answered without hesitation, "But no one said anything cause Nathan and I would have kicked their asses." Haley frowned as Lucas crossed the apartment and started up the stairs, knocking on Brooke and Dylan's door.

"Forget your keys?" Dylan yelled on her way to the door, "Figures you'd forget your head if it wasn't attached to your head."

"Bad joke." Lucas said when she opened the door.

Dylan looked surprised for a minute than shook her head, "It's something Brooke's mom says. Brooke would have gotten it." Lucas nodded, "Jamie tell you about Beth?" she sighed.

"Yeah." Lucas walked past her into the apartment, "What'd she say?"

"It doesn't matter." Dylan said crossing her arms over her chest, "I took care of it."

Lucas leaned back against the wall, "Dylan listen, you have this uh… ability, to pick out someone's flaws."

Dylan looked confused, she raised and eyebrow and said, "Uh thank you?"

"No it's not… look it's not a bad thing. It's just your kind of brutal with the truth." She nodded, "And the problem with that is people don't always know what their flaws are. Take me for example, you had me pegged in about five minutes, and well it was kind of hard to hear from a kid that I'm afraid of commitment, and that I let my family rule my life so I don't have to."

"Okay." She said trying to understand where this conversation was going, "I'm sorry?"

"No," Lucas shook his head, and sighed knowing he had lost the message he was trying to send her, "I just… you should know you're a good kid, Dyl."

"Thanks," she said nodding, "I'll tell the kids at school you said so."

"You do that." He grinned, walking back through the door.

Brooke returned with Fred, who was groaning like he was dying, just ask Lucas opened his apartment door.

"What did you do to him?" Lucas asked leaning down to pet him.

"He's fine." Brooke sighed shaking her head at him, "By the way," she added dragging Fred towards the stairs, "Nice shorts, Mr. Thirty-seven year old."

Lucas glanced down and groaned. He just _had_ to be wearing his daffy duck shorts today, didn't he? That was worse that the Alvin and the Chipmunks tie.

"I approve by the way. Go make your move and make her my sister in law." Haley said from behind him.

"She can't be my sister in law if your not _my_sister in law- I'm not marrying this girl!" he interrupted himself, and then cursed his damn duck shorts again.

"Of course you're not sweetie." She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "See you tomorrow."

Lucas stopped Jamie before he walked out the door, "Keep an eye on Dylan in school will you?"

"Uncle Luke, I'll keep both of my eyes on her." Jamie said grinning.

* * *

Well there we go, chapter three. Tell me what you guys think. I know Lucas is mature, who knew? But remember Brooke isn't actually seeing him when he has his moments. She only sees the guy who walks around with character ties and daffy duck shorts, and jokingly (in her mind) hits on her. 

Please review.

-Em


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas tiredly shoved his key into his keyhole and turned the knob, hoping to end his horribly long day.

"When did you get a dog?" Nathan asked, from his spot on the couch.

"I didn't. What are you doing here?" Lucas sighed, slumping into his recliner, "And how did you get in?"

"I have a key." Nathan said, then looked uneasily to his left, "What do you mean you didn't get a dog?"

Lucas groaned and pointed to the window, "Go home Fred. You're one more floor up." Fred lifted his head to stare at Lucas, he snuggled closer to Nathan on the couch and went back to sleep, "Right."

"One more floor up?" Nathan questioned reaching into his bag and producing a six pack. He opened one for himself and tossed the second one to Lucas, "Your neighbors dog? The one Jamie was talking about?" Lucas nodded, "Well?" Nathan prompted, "Tell me about her man. The mom. Jamie already filled me in on the girl."

Lucas grinned, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, which will probably please Haley to no end, seeing as she hates Caitlin."

"Caitlin?" Lucas questioned squinting, as he tried to remember.

"The latest of Jamie's conquests." Nathan shrugged, and Lucas said, "He is so much like you. Well pre-Haley you."

"What do you mean pre-Haley me? I've known Haley as long as you've known her. Practically my whole life."

"Before she turned you into her pet." Lucas said after a moment of thinking about it.

"What?" Nathan demanded, and Lucas laughed, "Nevermind."

Nathan shook his head, "Mother. Upstairs. Talk."

"There is nothing to tell." Lucas said, "Brooke is just really nice, and Dylan can be such a smart ass, but she is a really good kid. And Fred…" Lucas trailed off staring at the pathetic lump of dog on his couch next to his brother, "he's just Fred."

Nathan paused the beer just inches from his lips and arched his eyebrows, "Luke?"

Lucas shook his head, cutting off whatever Nathan was going to say, "No, I don't like her. I just want to sleep with her. She's hot man." Nathan nodded not completely convinced but he sipped his beer anyway, "I just need to go out, ya know. Find some girl that I can date, who is _not_ a mom."

"Moms are hot, man." Nathan shrugged.

"You're saying that because you're still in love with Haley." Lucas sighed, "I'm sure if _you_ happen to be the one to make a girl a mom, then yes you find her extremely hot-"

"Dude you just said five minutes ago you thought she was hot." Nathan laughed.

"Look- just- shut up." Lucas sighed.

* * *

Ever since her big "Showdown" with Beth Rodgers in the park after school a few days ago, Dylan had become even less popular than before, if that was possible.

She didn't really mind, truth be told, but if Brooke ever found out about it she'd be heart broken. As far as her mother was concerned the only thing high school was for was making friends, and Dylan could see her point. What was the use in hating this place by yourself?

But she was just never really good at making friends. Maybe it's what Lucas said, that flaw picking thing. Maybe instead of telling people what was on her mind she should just shut up.

But then she'd be making friends with people who didn't know the real her, so would they really be friends?

Right around the time Dylan was contemplating this Jamie Scott slid his lunch tray onto the table and sat down across from her, "Hey."

Dylan looked around and saw the entire student body that was present in the cafeteria at the time stop and stare at them, "What are you doing?"

"Eating." He said, nodding, "You gonna eat that pudding?" he asked reaching for it, but she snatched it out of his reach, "Yes." She snapped quickly.

"What are you doing here?" she tried again.

"My uncle told me to keep an eye on you, and I promised to keep both of 'em on you. The only way I can see to do that is by hanging out, ya know eating lunch together. Becoming buddies." He said grinning at the cheese-y-ness of his words, "So what's up buddy?"

"Scott you really shouldn't be doing this." Dylan said aware that all eyes were still on them, "This is social suicide."

Jamie shrugged, "I'm not that popular."

Dylan scoffed, "You're the captain of the basketball team, and a senior."

Jamie looked shocked, "I'm _that_ James Lucas Scott? I thought I was the James Lucas Scott who didn't let other people's opinions of him rule how he lived his life." He grabbed his tray and made like he was going to leave, "Well I guess I better get out of here." Dylan rolled her eyes when all he did was move one seat to the left.

"Fine, fine, you made your point." She said, "Just don't say I didn't warn you."

He nodded, "So you wanna watch my basketball practice after school?"

Dylan raised on of her eyebrows, "I'd rather be strapped to an ant hill."

Jamie nodded, "Okay so we'll go to basketball practice first and then we'll do your thing." Dylan couldn't help but laugh at that.

* * *

"Well P.Sawyer?" Brooke asked entering the boutique.

"Well what?" Peyton asked confused.

"What do you think?" Brooke sighed, as if it was obvious. Sure no one had stopped her on the street to admire her, but Peyton was her best friend she should notice.

"Brooke, darling, it's been a long day. What is it sweets?" Brooke pouted and pointed to her hair, "You got your hair done?" Brooke nodded, and Peyton tilted her head.

Brooke looked the same to her. Her long dark brown hair hung at exactly the same length it had been the day before. Peyton knew this because today she was wearing her gray work suit and her hair was always about an inch longer than her hideous shoulder pads. Peyton made a mental note the next time she went to Brooke's apartment to bring her seam ripper and get rid of those awful shoulder pads.

Peyton tilted her head in a different angle and saw the light catch Brooke's hair differently, "You got a red streak in your hair?"

Brooke's face lit up and she nodded, "You keep telling me to do something that will make me feel young again. So I did."

"Congratulations." Peyton nodded, "Did you sleep with the doctor yet?"

Brooke scowled at her, "No."

"What was he wearing a Rug Rats tie this time?" Peyton asked sarcastically, as she took a sip of soda.

"Daffy Duck shorts." Brooke said biting her lip as she tried not to think about how much she'd wanted to throw him down on the couch and rip those shorts right off- her thoughts were interrupted by Peyton spitting her soda all over herself, "_Daffy Duck_?" she asked when she finally caught her breath. Brooke laughed and threw her a shirt off the clearance rack that matched her eyes.

"Brooke, you have to sleep with him." Peyton said from behind the dressing curtain, "You gotta see if he has Spongebob Squarepants sheets."

"Peyton, I'm not sleeping with him." Brooke called back frustrated. She was already convinced she had an itch that only Lucas Scott could scratch she didn't need Peyton reminding her.

"Why not?" Peyton asked coming out.

"Because…" Brooke tried to think of a reason, before deciding, "He probably does have Spongebob sheets." Peyton chuckled and went to throw her shirt in the back with the rest of her stuff, while Brooke looked in the mirror to admire her red streak.

* * *

"What do you think?" was the first thing she said to Dylan when she walked in the do.

"Like in general? Or is there a specific arena in which you'd like my opinion?" Dylan asked perkily.

"Oh god." Brooke groaned, "Are you on drugs?"

"What?" Dylan laughed.

"You're never happy after school. Look you can tell me Dilly, I'm a cool mom. Peyton and I experimented with drugs in high school. My first time with your father was on E-"

"Oh God!" Dylan said cutting off her mother, "Okay I know we talk about this kind of stuff, but seriously mom, that ones too far. No I'm not on drugs. I just had a good day."

"Oh." Brooke nodded, "Well I'm glad hon. Now what do you think of my hair."

Dylan blinked, "I think it's hair."

"Look at it, smart ass."

Dylan looked at her mother before noticing, "Oh hey, there's some red. Nice Brooke."

Brooke grinned, "Thank you. And it's mom."

"You know maybe you should think about a new wardrobe to go with the hair. No offense but gray and red…?" Dylan trailed off as she walked into her room.

Brooke frowned in her direction. First Peyton and now Dylan. She was a mother for god sakes she couldn't go around showing what she's got anymore. The hair was enough, she decided looking in the mirror.

* * *

Lucas groaned trying to figure out how he got here. His day had started out fine. He'd seen Brooke on her way out the door, and she'd smiled and laughed at his lame attempt of a joke. Nathan had come by the hospital to tell him he had to meet Dan and Deb for lunch at eleven, which okay, not the best lunch plans he'd ever made but still Nate was going to be there so that was something.

Then he'd asked Amy the girl from the cafeteria out on a date in hopes that once he was dating her he wouldn't want to sleep with Brooke anymore and they could just be friends and he wouldn't have to feel guilty every time he saw her. She'd accepted immediately, which did wonders for his ego.

And then a car got into an accident out on route 45. A mother and two kids, and the mother died in surgery and Lucas couldn't find anyone who could get a hold of the kids father, and by that point he was late for lunch which had clearly enraged his father since Nathan held up four fingers indicating that Dan had already had four glasses of whiskey by the time Lucas sat down.

"How's work?" Deb asked politely.

Lucas shook his head, "Not a good day."

"If you were in oncology," Dan started, and Lucas sighed and mouthed along with him, "You'd be making good money. Have a set schedule. This ER thing is just childish, really Lucas. Money is the only true happiness you'll ever find."

"Right you are dad." Lucas sighed sarcastically and let his mind drift to Brooke and Dylan and even Fred, "I'll have the turkey club platter, with a soda." He added to the waitress.

"No he won't." Dan interrupted, "He'll have the steak, with a salad on the side and a scotch, as will my other boy, and Deb, why don't you get pasta?" Deb nodded and Lucas commented that he was going back to work after this so he wasn't going to drink the scotch, but Dan paid him no mind and ordered his own meal.

"So what are you boys doing this evening?" Deb asked once the waiter left.

"I have a date with Amy from the hospital." Lucas said, while Nathan added, "And I've got Jamie for the evening."

"Amy huh?" Dan asked, "Fine. Fine woman. She'll make you a good wife. Excellent mother for your children. Don't screw this one up like Lindsay."

Lucas paused and tried to remember what Dan's words were when he fist told him about Lindsay, "_Lindsay? Fine woman. She'll make you a good wife, and be an excellent mother for your children._" Lucas was about 90 sure that if he'd come up to his father and said he was going out on a date with Fred, Dan would reply, "Fred? Seems loyal. Make you a good wife. You can adopt."

Of course thoughts of Fred led Lucas to thoughts of Brooke, she'd make a good wife for sure- Lucas cut himself off, _No_._Brooke is your neighbor who you are only a little attracted to. Forget it._ But she would make a good wife.

"Lucas?" Dan asked trying to get his attention.

"Yes?" he asked snapping to attention.

"Have you made a decision yet?" Deb asked.

"I like the ER." He said.

"Not about that." Dan said annoyed, "About your cousins cotillion this Sunday." Lucas paused, he had planned on re-painting his apartment and then going to the book store for more ink for his printer and a bunch of other little things he didn't have time during the week to do. He was about to open his mouth to say just that when Dan continued, "Are you riding up with us or your mother? God only knows why Caroline invited them."

"Uh…" Lucas was going to say he wasn't going, but he really didn't want to deal with the aggravation, "I'll just go with Nate and Jamie."

"Good." Dan nodded, "Now I think you should wear your black suit with a _normal_ tie this time Lucas. I don't want you showing up like you did to our anniversary party with a rocky and bowler tie."

"Bullwinkle." Both Nathan and Lucas interrupted with a grin.

"Whatever." Dan said, "I want a nice red tie, or blue or something plain- with no cartoons." He shook his head, "You're thirty-seven years old for god sakes-" Dan kept talking but Lucas listening at this point, he'd heard it all before. It was easier to let Dan decided what he wore than to argue about it. His father, mother, stepmother, and step father/uncle could do whatever and say whatever they wanted about his life so long as they stay away from his career.

"I talked to Dr. Buckman today." Dan said with a smile, _Oh hell._ "You know Dr. Buckman don't you? Old friend, we go way back, anyway he has a spot open on his rotation and I suggested you. He wants to talk to you about this week, and if you get it Lucas, then you can finally get out of that rat trap you call an apartment and into a nice house. Your stepmother and I saw the nicest place not too far from us. Nice place to raise a family." Lucas nodded, "So you'll talk to him this week then?" Lucas nodded again and stabbed at his steak. _I really wanted turkey._

So by the time he picked up Amy for their date he was in a pretty bad mood. Sure he was polite to her. They had dinner and had some wine, an even a little bit of fun, but when she asked to see his apartment he said yes only out of politeness, not out of any deeper connection he was planning on forming with this woman.

As he turned his key in the lock he stole a glance towards the stairs wishing Brooke or Dylan would come out to save him from this. No such luck, he thought as he led Amy into his apartment.

* * *

About fifteen minutes after Lucas was leading his date into his apartment Brooke was pushing the Crock- Pot back on the fridge and pulling out some ice for her soda when the phone rang.

"Brooke!" Dylan yelled, "It's for you. I'm going to bed."

"Okay." Brooke yelled back took a sip of her drink and addressed whoever was on the phone.

"Brooke?" Luke's voice sounded panicked, "Could you come down here? I need your help."

"Help?" she questioned. His voice made her first grow tense then grow warm. That wasn't good. Brooke thought about telling him she was busy, but the panic in his voice made her think twice. If she could help she should…

Five minutes later, Brooke was in Luke's apartment sitting on his couch patting his weeping date, a tiny blonde with an enormous capacity for loud sobbing, who made Brooke feel fat and sloppy in her jeans and '_World's Best Brooke_' T-shirt Dylan had custom made for Mother's Day.

"Meet Amy." Lucas said, and Amy wailed louder, dripping tears onto her flower print slip dress no matter how fast Lucas handed her the Kleenex.

"What did you do to her?" Brooke asked, trying to ignore how good he looked in his dress pants and a tailored shirt, even with his shirtsleeves rolled up and his tie loose. He really cleaned up _nice_.

Lucas glared at her, "I didn't do anything." He then looked at her squinting for a minute, reaching out to touch the red streak, "What did you…?" she smiled softly, since he was the first person to notice, "I like it."

"Thank you…?" Brooke trailed off, but Amy sobbed louder, bringing their attention back to her.

"I took her to dinner, we watched a movie, and I kissed her." Lucas put his hands up in surrender, "That's all I swear."

Brooke watched as he crossed his arms over his chest. His forearms flexed and Brooke lost her train of thought. He had great arms. He had great everything.

But he was too immature for her, he couldn't even handle his crying date without help.

"He's never going to marry me." Amy wailed.

"Marry you?" Brooke blinked at Lucas, "How long have you been dating?"

Lucas looked at his watch, "We're at the three hour mark right now."

"This is your first date?" Brooke stopped patting Amy, "I'm missing something here."

Amy looked up at her, her face splotched with tears, "It's all my fault. I told him I wanted to sleep with him. And now he'll never marry me."

Brooke took a deep breath to squelch the hatred she was feeling for this girl, "Gee, I'd think that'd be a good line to take with him."

Amy lifted her head sniffling, "He said no. He said no!"

Irrationally cheered, Brooke looked at Lucas who looked as if he wished he were dead, "Amy enjoyed the wine at dinner."

"And now he thinks I'm drunk too." Amy wailed.

"Well," Brooke said patting Amy faster as she tried to think of a way to convince her to stop crying.

"And I really want to marry a doctor." She wailed.

Brooke stopped patting again and glared at her. How could anybody look at Lucas and just see his medical degree? Even aside from the fact that he was gorgeous, he was also sweet and kind, and funny and cared about her daughter…_Stop it!_ She told herself. _Don't do this to yourself. He's still a child. Look at the women he dates. She's like twenty. I bet all her stuff is still where it's supposed to be._ Brooke looked down at her own chest, which she did have to admit wasn't as horrible as she thought it was, then back up at Lucas who was staring at her confused.

"Well I think it's time to call it a night. Lucas is going to get the car and take you home. Go get the car Luke." Brooke said.

"How about you grab Fred and Dylan, and we'll all go? They could use the fresh air." Lucas pleaded.

"Dylan went to bed." Brooke sighed.

"Then how about just you and Fred?" he asked hands clasped together begging her.

"Fine." She sighed.

"Whose Fred? Another doctor?" Amy asked through her tears.

* * *

Okay I hope this chapter was better than chapter three, and I really hope you guys liked it. Please review.

-Em


	5. Chapter 5

"That girl was Dylan's age." Brooke said watching Amy enter her apartment.

"She's twenty-five." Lucas said, rolling his eyes.

"I can't believe she was just going out with you because you're a doctor." Brooke fumed.

Lucas grinned relaxed behind the wheel now that Amy was just a soggy memory, "Well face it- the women I date are not going out with me because of the fancy places I can take them. I'm an ER specialist with about fifteen years of loans to pay off. I'm poor. So they plan for the future."

Brooke frowned at him then out the window in the direction they just left Amy, "Women should want to date you because you're fantastic." She said softly.

Lucas grinned and thought of Dylan, "I'll tell them you said so."

"I can't believe she'd be so mercenary." Brooke said fuming again.

"Well what about Dylan's dad? What was he?" Lucas asked.

"Andrew's a lawyer." Lucas nodded and asked, "So why'd you marry him? Because he was a rich lawyer?"

"No, because he was the first man I ever slept with and my mother made me." Brooke said softly, "I didn't mind back then. I really did love him." It had only been a year since they filed for divorce but to Brooke, it seemed much longer. Like a dream that she couldn't reach. Maybe she didn't even want to.

"So how was your day?" she asked getting the focus off herself.

"Terrible." He tried not to think about it but when he glanced at Brooke sitting next to him, looking up at him through her lashes, he gave in, "I uh… I lost a patient today."

"Oh jeez, Luke." Brooke placed her hand on his for about a minute until it felt way too comfortable and she knew she could get used to a hand like his. The way she had with Andrew. And she didn't want that. He was a child compared to her. That's all there was to it. So she pulled her hand away and pretended to fix her hair. Which brought her back to earlier in the evening when he had been the only one to notice her hair without prompt, and that wasn't good either.

"And then I had lunch with my family so…" Luke trailed off showing no signs of noticing Brooke's retraction of her hand.

"So not a good day, and then your date was dumb enough to think that offering to sleep with you would turn you off." Brooke smiled as he pulled into a space in front of the building.

"No she was right about that."

"What?" Brooke asked disbelieving.

"I wouldn't want somebody who would sleep with me on the first date." Lucas said, turning off the ignition, "I have some standards."

"Oh." Brooke said deciding it was a good thing she hadn't pushed him up against her couch and had her way with him the first day he walked into her apartment. "Well that's good. I suppose it shows moral fiber on your part that you turned her down."

"I turned her down cause she was drunk," Lucas corrected, "If she had been sober I would have slept with her."

"But you just said-"

"I wouldn't have asked her out again, but I would have slept with her." Brooke glared at him and he shrugged, "Hey I did not seduce her. In fact I was trying to sober her up. I have cups of coffee on my table upstairs to prove it. But if she's going to make an offer while of sound mind, I'm going to take her up on it, or _I_ wouldn't be of sound mind."

"Did you ever think of showing moral restraint?" she asked him icily.

"No," Lucas said seriously. "I'm male."

He certainly was. That was the problem, and Brooke knew it. She was sitting next to him in a dark car, and he was the most masculine male she'd been with for a long time. Forever, actually. And she knew she should be mad at him for saying he'd have slept with Amy if she had been sober, but it was hard to be angry and turned on at the same time, and the fact was that whenever he came around, she got a nice little buzz going that stayed around for long after he was gone.

That was bad.

Brooke glanced around and took in the empty Mc Donald's happy meal boxes with a sigh._He's a child. He may be older, but he is not _older. _Get out of this car._

Brooke opened the door, "I'm gonna let the next one cry all over you." She climbed out and opened the back door for Fred, "Stay away from him, Fred. He's a bad influence on you."

"Hey wait a minute." Lucas said to Brooke, but she was already leading Fred through the gate to the backyard, and there was no way that she was going to stop to continue the conversation. "I like your hair." was all she heard, but it wasn't enough to make her stop.

The last thing she needed was to discuss sex with Lucas Scott.

* * *

"What do you do when a woman you want shows no interest in you?" Lucas asked Nathan the next day in the hospital cafeteria. 

Nathan cocked his eyebrow at his brother, "That never happens."

"I don't think I'm… sophisticated enough for this woman. I think she's used to rich, older guys. She thinks I'm a kid, and she's already got one of those, why would she need another?"

Nathan shoved his fork into his breakfast, "You been wearing that beanie with the propeller again?"

Lucas frowned at him, "I'm serious Nate."

Nathan paused the fork inches from his mouth, "You? Serious about a woman?"

Lucas paused to think about it, "I don't know. Probably not. I'm just serious about getting her into bed."

Nathan nodded, "That's more like it."

"But it's not gonna happen." Lucas continued.

"You don't know that. Spend some time with her. Charm her socks off. And then after the socks, take the rest off. Be debonair."

"Oh yeah," Luke laughed, "Debonair, that's Lucas Scott alright."

"Well you're the one who keeps saying she only sees you as a Boy Scout." Nathan pointed out.

Lucas looked down at his hands and thought about Brooke, and how all he wanted to do was follow her up to their apartment and take Brooke right to her bedroom. But that was horrible. She was a mom. Dylan was fifteen years old and probably still had hopes her mom and dad would get back together some day.

"See the thing about Brooke," Lucas began, "is that when I'm with her and Dylan I forget everything but them, so I can't pretend to be somebody else. The only person I can be around Brooke is me."

Nathan froze and arched his eyebrow, "Don't talk like that. That sounds serious. She has a kid Lucas, you can not screw with her."

"It's not serious." He decided, waving his hand, "She's just my neighbor. It's no big deal."

"Right," Nathan pointed his fork at him, "You be careful, and stay away from her."

"Right." Lucas nodded and wondered what kind of movies Brooke and Dylan liked to watch so he could invite himself up to share their dvd player.

* * *

In the next two weeks Brooke, Lucas, Dylan, and Fred had spent six pleasant and comfortable nights watching old movies together. The first night he'd knocked on the door and asked her if she'd ever seen _Noises Off_, holding up the dvd and a bag of Oreos. 

"You don't mind?" he asked when she let him in, and she said no, because she really didn't mind at all. In fact she was flat out delighted even though she warned herself not to be. There was something warm and right about Lucas sitting on the floor with his back propped up against her couch, Fred draped over his lap, Dylan a few feet away with the chips. Brooke had taken to curling up on the couch behind them watching over Luke's shoulder.

And sometimes when the movie ended Dylan would go to bed and they'd just talk, first about the movie, then just about whatever was on their mind at the time.

"So I really think Peyton needs to stand up to Jake and tell him either commit or let me go." Brooke shrugged, "She's my best friend, and so is he, but I can't stand to see her hurting, and I know she is. She doesn't say anything and she puts on a happy front, but I've known her practically my whole life. I mean can't you tell when Haley's upset about something but doesn't say." Lucas nodded, "And it's just not my place to lecture her on her relationship, but it breaks my heart. I love Jake but I want to kill him."

Lucas laughed, when Dylan walked out of her room, "Hey kid, are we keeping you up?"

She shook her head, "No, I had a paper to write. I only just finished."

"Dyl, it's almost midnight." Brooke said, patting the spot on the couch next to her.

"Luke?" Dylan asked biting her lip.

"Yeah?" Dylan shifted on the couch, moved her hair from one shoulder to the other, and scratched her arm.

"Today would be nice hon." Brooke chuckled.

"Is Jamie…? I mean does he…?" Lucas raised his eyebrows, trying not to laugh. Dylan finally shook her head, blushing furiously, "You know what? Never mind." She jumped up off the couch and ran back to her room.

"What was that?" Brooke asked turning to face Lucas, who shook his head chuckling.

He glanced at the clock, "Okay well I have to get to bed. I got work in the morning and nobody likes a sleepy doc."

"Unless he's followed by Dopey and Bashful." Brooke grinned holding the down for him.

Lucas laughed nodding, "Exactly, Cheery. See you tomorrow?"

Brooke nodded and closed the door behind him, and thought longingly of the days when she was lusting after Matthew Perry safely on the other side of the television screen. Lucas was just one flight down, and entirely too real.

Not dating was not working. She was going to have to do something.

"I have to start dating." Brooke said miserably to Peyton on their break, "I'm interested in Lucas. _Really_ interested." She leaned against a display case full of silver chains, she felt guilty asking Peyton for help with her love life when Peyton's was obviously no walk in the park either, but until she felt the need to share Brooke was not going to stick her nose in where it wasn't welcome. "But it's just because he's the only man I see." Peyton opened her mouth but Brooke continued quickly to cut her off, "And Lucas isn't my only problem. Andrew is calling again. He wants to have lunch and dinner and sex."

"He asked you to have phone sex?" Peyton asked intrigued.

"No, but it was in his voice." Brooke said, "And when I said I wasn't interested, he said he knew I wasn't seeing anyone because Dylan told him the only man I ever spend time with is the guy who lives downstairs." She dropped her head into her hands, "Help me."

Peyton frowned, "You want me to set you up on a date?"

"No," Brooke sat down and looked around the store, "I have a date. I need an outfit."

"What?"

"Is it so impossible that I have a date?" Brooke asked annoyed.

"You haven't dated since high school, so yes." Peyton giggle, "I thought for a while there you were trying to grow your virginity back. Who is this guy?"

"His name is Michael, I met him at the," Brooke coughed over the words _grocery store_.

"Oh B." Peyton said covering her mouth to stifle her laugh.

"P. Sawyer," Brooke whined, "I need your help."

"Right, right sorry." Peyton said, and looked Brooke up and down, "Okay first of all what happened to the girl in red I knew back in high school? When did you start wearing these blah colors? I mean beige, Brooke?" she glanced around, "You work in a clothing store, how do you not dress more flattering? You can dress any woman who comes in here, and they look fabulous. But when it comes to yourself… " Peyton let that thought end there and dragged Brooke towards the dresses, and yanked out the first red dress she could find, "Look at this."

"Peyton!" Brooke said annoyed, "I'm a mother, look at how low that's cut."

Peyton shoved her towards the dressing room, "Just try it on." Peyton heard Brooke grumbling, "Oh my god, we have the Incredibra? When did we get the Incerdibra?"

"The what?" Brooke asked poking her head out, and Peyton held up a red lacey bra, all round and shapely, it practically had cleavage without her.

"I've heard of them, but I've never seen it before." Peyton went on, "You're getting this, and," she held up a pair of red lace underwear to go with it.

* * *

That afternoon after work Brooke tried on her new clothes, while Fred sat bored at her feet. The Increibra lived up to it's name, incredibly red, and incredibly structured, Brooke couldn't remember the last time her breasts were this… nice looking. In fact she couldn't remember the last time _she_ looked this good. _Probably in high school. Before Dylan was born and my body went to hell_. 

She turned and studied herself in the mirror again. _I wonder what Lucas would think of this._ She then shook her head, Lucas was never going to see her in her red lace and dress, and cleavage.

On the other hand Grocery Store Michael was.

She looked back in the mirror not sure she wanted red lace cleavage with Michael. Michael looked as if he hadn't had a sexual thought in his life, but maybe he came alive at night. Maybe Incredibra breasts were not right for a first date. Maybe nondescript breasts were better. No sense promising what she had no intention of delivering.

She stripped off both the dress and her bra, swapping them for a non-push up bra and a simple no cleavage black dress.

Glancing at the clock Brooke realized she still had a while till her date, so she changed back into a pair of sweats and went to call Peyton. But just as she reached for the phone she saw Fred snatch her incredibra off the bed and trot out of the room.

"Just like a man." Brooke said shaking her head and following him, "Fred!" she yelled as she caught sight of him trotting out the open window, "You are in big trouble." She yelled following him out the window and down the stairs.

She spotted him at the Dumpster, the bright red bra in his mouth, "Fred!" she yelled again, "You're dead meat. You think you're getting Dog treats after this you are sadly mistaken boy."

She had him trapped behind the Dumpster so he crawled father behind it, in a cavern she couldn't get to. She got down on her hands and knees and peered into the cave, at Fred who was sitting there, her Incredibra at his feet.

"Give me that, right now!" she said. She crawled a little way under and Fred lowered his head and growled at her.

Brooke stopped, "You're_ growling_ at me? You're growling at _me_?"

"Let me guess-De Niro." Lucas said behind her, and she straightened in surprise hitting her head on the dumpster.

"You're going back to the pound." She said to Fred while she rubbed her head.

"Is your head alright?" he asked when she was standing, "Let me see." His hand was firm against her cheek tilting her head down so that all she could see was his Power Ranger T-shirt stretched against his broad chest. It was an extremely good chest, but the shirt reminded her exactly when she couldn't grab him and do him right up against the Dumpster.

Lucas tilted her head back down, "You'll be fine." He added brushing some dirt from her hair, "I saw you streak past my window. Why are you down here braining yourself on a Dumpster."

"Fred." She said trying not to visibly enjoy the feel of his hand on her head, "He's going through a stage. It's called the Terrible Twos. Only in his case it's the Terrible Fourteens."

Lucas let go of her and stooped down to peer behind the Dumpster, "Fred? What's wrong with you? Get out here."

Fred came trotting out and dropped the bra at Luke's feet.

"The hell with the pound I'm gonna kill you right here." Brooke said reaching for the bra.

But Lucas was too quick for her, "The Incredibra." He read the tag, then raised an eyebrow at her, "I've heard of these but I've never seen one."

"Well now you have." Brooke said, making another attempt for it, but he held it out of her reach, grinning.

"I mean I've never seen one on an actual woman before." He explained, "In the flesh. It's probably something I should experience. For my professional advancement."

"You want me to model my underwear for you for your professional advancement?" Brooke asked, trying not to think about it.

"It's all right." Lucas stopped smiling and made a pathetic effort to look serious and adult, "I'm a doctor."

Brooke grabbed her bra, "I'm going to take you back to the pound with Fred." She shook her head, "You're both completely untrainable." She added starting back up the fire escape.

Lucas grinned back down at Fred, "Good dog."

Brooke then sunk into a hot bath hoping all her thoughts of Lucas, and modeling her underwear would wash away with the Dumpster dirt.

No such luck.

* * *

Please review. I know. Lucas takes one step forward, teases Brooke about her underwear and takes two steps back. 

-Em


	6. Chapter 6

Lucas stared at the blank word document in front of him. It had been filled a minute ago before he pressed delete for the tenth time that night. It seemed that every time he started to write his subconscious would take over and he'd write things like, _The raven haired beauty at the top of the stairs didn't realize-_ and that's when _he'd_ realize what he was doing and hit delete.

I'm going insane. That's all there is to it. I am going insane, and she's driving me there.

Lucas couldn't understand what was wrong with him. He'd met women who he wanted to sleep with before, who didn't share the same desire, and he got over them quickly enough. What was this obsession he was forming over Brooke?

"I can't sleep with her." He announced to his almost empty apartment, "She has a kid."

Fred let out a pitiful dog moan and dropped something at Lucas's feet before leaping up onto the couch. Lucas reached out and picked up the object, "Oh god. I have to sleep with her."

* * *

At about the same time Lucas was struggling with writer's block, Brooke was trying to figure out how to get Michael to leave her apartment.

She'd tried looking busy, straightening up little things, announcing that Dylan should be home from Peyton's at any time, it was a school night after all. She opened the window for Fred to go out, which he did the second her back was turned and she couldn't help but think that he was one lucky dog. Finally she very pointedly looked at her watch and yawned, but nothing seemed to be getting through to him, he just kept talking.

The knock on the door about fifteen minutes later came as a welcome reprieve, "Just a minute." Brooke told Michael while he was in mid-sentence.

When she opened the door, Lucas was standing there with a grin that she knew from experience meant he was up to no good, when her eyes dropped to the object he was holding up she knew why.

"Fred dropped this off." He said shaking her Incredibra, "I've only seen it once but I'm assuming it's yours?"

"Yes." Brooke said trying to keep all lustful thoughts from her mind and made a grab for it.

"Wait a minute." He said taking a step back, "How do I know it's yours? Put it on and let me see if it fits. I'll check." He nodded confidently, "It's okay because I'm a doc-"

"You'll need a doctor if you don't give me that." She hissed under her breath, which only made his grin widen.

"Brooke?" Michael called from the living room.

"A date?" Lucas asked, the grin gone, and Brooke found herself suddenly missing it.

"Unfortunately, yes." Brooke sighed, "Now give me my bra."

"Unfortunately?" Lucas asked the grin making a full comeback, which almost made Brooke's legs turn to jelly if it weren't for the fact that he was still teasing her about her bra.

"I've tried everything but he won't take the hint."

"You should have called," Lucas said striding past her, into the apartment, "So it's $300 for the night." He paused when he saw Michael standing there looking at him curiously, "$500 for couples."

"What?" Brooke asked.

"You did order a –ehem- companion for the evening, Ms…" Lucas trailed off and pulled out a blank piece of paper from his pocket pretending to read it over while Michael started looking uncomfortable, Lucas looked u from the paper and gave him a wink, "Maybe just $400 for couples tonight. I like the way you look."

"Brooke, I'm gonna go." Michael announced grabbing his coat.

"The nights not over yet, baby." Lucas said, grinning, he held up the Incredibra which he'd shoved into his pocket upon entering the apartment, "Do one of you wanna wear this or should I?" Michael slammed the door shut, and Brooke turned to stare at him, "You're welcome."

"You're twelve." She said trying not to laugh.

"Oh come it. It was funny and now you never have to see this guy ever again." Lucas said traveling to the kitchen, he pushed back the Crock-Pot and opened the fridge grabbing the milk, while Brooke pulled three cups out of the cupboard, "Oreos or Chips Ahoy?" Lucas asked even though he knew the answer.

"Oreos." Dylan said from the kitchen door.

"How was it at Peyton's?" Brooke asked kissing her daughter on the head.

"Fine," Dylan shrugged, "Jenny got a tattoo."

"What?" Brooke asked.

Dylan nodded, "Yep, it's pretty nice. It's a pink rose with the name Jason written on the stem."

"What did Jake and Peyton say?" Brooke interrupted impatiently, while Lucas tried to ignore the voice in his head reminding him how comfortable he felt here.

"You should have seen it mom. Jake was yelling and Peyton was like dead quiet, until he finally turned to her and asked, 'well? What do you think of all this?' and Aunt Peyton looked up at him with a smile on her face and said so innocently, 'Why should it matter what I think Jake? After all I'm not her mother.' Uncle Jake just stopped speaking. I was so proud." Dylan said while Brooke laughed.

"How was your date?" Dylan asked, and Lucas sniggered.

"It was okay." Brooke said ignoring him, "But I don't think I'll be seeing him again."

"You guys feel like a movie?" Lucas suggested scratching Fred behind the ear, deciding to let the subject of Brooke's date drop.

* * *

"How's it going with what's-her-name?" Nathan asked Lucas two days later, when they were both sat in the doctors lounge in broken down easy chairs, their feet up on the scarred coffee table, "The mom upstairs?"

"Hey I'm dating other women besides Brooke." Lucas said trying to sound worldly and not so pathetic, "Lot's of them." Then he ruined it by added, "Not that I'm dating Brooke."

"If you're not dating her," Nathan asked, "then how are you seeing her?"

"We watch movies," Lucas shrugged, "And thank god there are a lot of them in the world, or I'd be out in the cold. Even I'm getting tired of them, but that and returning Fred whenever he climbs through my window by mistake are the only times I get to see her." He closed his eyes remembering, "She stretches out behind me on the couch and I can smell her perfume, and she laughs in my ear, an I swear to God all I want to do is jump her- but then I remember Dylan who is like literally three feet away and I feel like an ass."

"So watch a movie without the kid one of these nights," Nathan said, "Like when Jamie takes her out."

Lucas shrugged, "Yeah I guess- Wait! Jamie's taking her out?"

Nathan grinned, "He's working on it." Nathan shook his head trying not to laugh, "He says she's such a pain in the ass that every time he starts to work up the nerve she'll say something that will drive him crazy and he'll give up completely."

"Oh god," Lucas groaned, "That's like when you were trying to work up the courage to ask Haley out in high school."

"No kidding." Nathan grinned, "Get this he tried asking her out a few days ago and he goes, I've been thinking and she interrupts him with I'll alert the media."

"Oh god, Haley said almost the exact same thing to you in the tenth grade." Lucas laughed, Nathan nodded and added, "Right before I asked her to the dance."

"So your son is going to be dating the daughter of the woman I'm trying to sleep with?" he shook his head before Nathan could answer, "Dylan was right, who needs television when you have neighbors?" Nathan laughed.

* * *

Brooke and Fred came running up the stairs after their afternoon jog to find Peyton sitting on the floor with a bunch of drawings scattered around her.

"I did it Brooke," she said, with barely any enthusiasm in her voice.

"Did what?" Brooke asked.

"Why are you out of breath?" Peyton asked before answering the question.

"Fred and I just went for our afternoon jog." Brooke said unleashing the dog, "You have an afternoon jog?" she asked surpised.

Brooke shrugged, "Not all the time. Just you know when I have some free time, and really it's not a jog for Fred as a brisk walk."

"Right." Peyton nodded, "Okay so do you remember when we were in high school and we had this idea to start a clothing line? You'd design and sew and I'd be the business end of it?" Brooke nodded to indicate she remembered, "Let's do it."

"Excuse me?" Brooke asked shocked, "Peyton what is going on?"

"I told Jake that if he doesn't think he can ever marry me, then I can't be with him." She said quickly, "If he doesn't want to be with me fully that I can't be with him."

"Oh." Brooke said her eyes wide.

"What the hell did I do?" Peyton asked her eyes filling with tears.

"Oh P. Sawyer." Brooke said wrapping her arms around her best friend, "Look I'm so proud of you."

"I'm moved back in with my dad, and I talked to Jenny and she's okay with it- well I mean she cried and I cried but I told her she can call me anytime she needs to talk, and I just- Oh God Brooke what did I do?" Peyton asked crying into her shoulder.

"Hey it's okay." Brooke said holding her close, "Come on now tell me about this clothing line sweetie."

Peyton shook her head, "No it's stupid. I'm sorry."

"P. Sawyer, I'll decided that. Tell me about it." Brooke said and Peyton did. They talked about it for an hour before Peyton stood up and started pacing, "We might be able to do this." Brooke said after a while, "How long have you been working on this stuff?"

"Well we did most of the work in high school, but then you married Andrew and me and Jake moved in together, and well I just put it away in a drawer and never looked at it until now."

"Yeah well look where following our hearts got us." Brooke sighed, "I'm manager of a small little store and you work directly below me." The only thing she had to show for her years with Andrew was Dylan and a broken heart. And she told Peyton so, "I mean I loved him Peyton, you remember? But it just seemed like one day he stopped loving me back. Now he calls to hook up like we're in high school or something. I just hate it, Peyton."

"So tell him to leave you alone."

"No it's not-" Brooke stopped herself and closed her eyes only to find Lucas staring back at her, she opened her eyes and shook her head, "Never mind. I think we should try it. At the very least it will take your mind off Jake, right?"

Peyton sank deeper into the couch and nodded.

"Brooke, I'm home." Dylan announced, "Oh hey Peyton, this is Jamie, Lucas's, our downstairs neighbors, nephew. He's my new stalker."

"I prefer Jamie to stalker." He said shaking Peyton's hand, "I find I make more friends that way."

Dylan rolled her eyes as a small blush crept onto her cheeks, "We're gonna study in my room."

"Okay." Brooke called, "Peyton and I are going out to get some milk shake ingredients."

Dylan paused in front of her room, "Jamie go on in, I'll be right there."

He nodded, "Nice meeting you, and seeing you again Ms. Davis."

"Yeah, yeah," Dylan said pushing him into her room and closing the door, "What happened?"

"What?" Brooke asked.

"_Milkshake ingredients?_" Dylan asked, "What happened?"

"Your Uncle Jake and I split up, but everything is going to be okay." Peyton said smoothing back Dylan's hair.

"Buy extra amaretto." Dylan said hugging Peyton.

"You're not getting any this time." Brooke said sternly.

* * *

"I don't know if chocolate ice cream loaded with milk and alcohol is all that healthy." Peyton said as Brooke unlocked the door.

"We're spinsters now Peyton, no one cares if we eat health-" Brooke trailed off spotting Lucas on the floor scratching Fred behind the ears.

"We're out of Oreos." Lucas called hearing them enter, "I complained to Dylan but she told me she was studying. So I left her alone."

"Yeah, she and Jamie are studying for something." Brooke nodded and knocked on Dylan's door to say they were home.

"Hi, I'm Peyton." Brooke turned back , and nodded, "Right sorry, Lucas, Peyton, Peyt this is Lucas, my neighbor from downstairs."

"I'm gonna grab the Oreos." She added heading for the kitchen, Lucas stuck his leg out to stop her, "I told you, we're out. You don't listen well."

"I moved them.," Brooke told him, "I was trying to make some space for the Crock-Pot cause you keep bitching at me about it and I moved them. And then there still wasn't enough room, but I forgot to move them back."

Lucas shook his head at her, "Don't move things around on me. Stability is the foundation of any good relationship. One day its moving the Oreos, and the next day it'll be the couch and then where will I be?" He leaned closer to smile into her eyes, "We've got a good thing going on here, babe. Don't screw up."

Brooke shook her head at him and said, "Entertain Peyton." She walked into the kitchen trying to control her heart, which had been beating rapidly ever since she spotted him looking so comfortable on her floor, only to have Peyton sneak up on her making it beat even faster.

"That man was flirting with you." She grinned.

"That man flirts with tree stumps." Brooke denied rolling her eyes, "Go back in there and sit down next to him. You'll see."

"I don't want to see," Peyton said slumping down into a chair, "I'm through with men forever. Every time I think of men I want to spit." She grew thoughtful, "Except for Lucas. He seems like a good one."

Brooke dropped the Oreos on the table, "Then go for it. Nice fling to get over Jake."

Peyton scowled at her, "You're not listening. I think you should go after Lucas."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not being ridiculous," Peyton said putting her hand on Brooke's arm, "I think you should seduce him."

"Seduce who?" Lucas said behind her.

Peyton dropped her cookie, "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry," Lucas crossed to the fridge, pushed back the pot and opened the door to get the milk, "Who is Brooke seducing? I might be against this."

"I have a new date." Brooke lied, mentally kicking herself because now she'd have to dig up a date. Brooke unloaded a few cups from the dishwasher and grinned when she pulled out Dylan's Spongebob cup, remembering Peyton's comment about Lucas's bed sheets.

Lucas leaned on the counter next to her and scowled, "Stop smiling. You do not have my permission to seduce this guy."

Brooke raised her eyebrows at him, "I don't need your permission." She added as Dylan walked into the kitchen Jamie trailing.

"Yes you do." He reached behind her to grab a mug for Dylan, "You're a mother. You have standards to uphold." He focused on his nephew, "What are you doing here?"

"What standards?" Dylan asked interested in the conversation, "What's going on?" she added after hugging Peyton again.

"I have a date and Lucas disapproves." Brooke said, rolling her eyes.

"And so does Dylan, right?" Lucas asked.

Dylan shrugged, "I don't really care. Brooke can do whatever she wants."

Lucas shook his head at her, "Well what about Fred?" All eyes turned to face the silent member in the group, "He's at that age."

"Would that be the age of snot?" Dylan asked, before pushing Jamie back out of the kitchen, "Let's go study."

"You keep that door open." Lucas said, "You're a Scott, Jamie."

Brooke laughed, "Does that mean I should have someone keep an eye on the two of us when we watch movies?"

Lucas nodded, "Oh definitely, Pretty girl." Brooke rolled her eyes, and said, "Go watch tv, with Fred."

"Yes, ma'm." he saluted.

"Don't say a word." She ordered Peyton, taking a swig of amaretto, "Now I need a date."

"Why don't you go out with _him_?" Peyton said, jerking her head toward the living room, exasperated.

Brooke folded her arms, "Well for one thing he hasn't asked me." Brooke paused, "And for another Dylan likes his nephew and that would be weird."

"Okay Brooke, I know that Dylan comes first in everything, but B, he's crazy about you, and she likes him. At least enough to bust on him, which let's face it, is like Dylan inviting you into her secret club." Peyton put an arm on Brooke's shoulder, "Don't stop living your life cause you're afraid Brooke. Look at me, hon, I just left the love of my life, and a girl that I love more than anything in the world, but I'm still fighting like hell."

"Peyton, come stay with us." Brooke said purposely ignoring her comment, "We have plenty of room."

Peyton shook her head, "No, I'll be fine with my dad." She stood up, "You go seduce the man on your couch, and I'll see you at work tomorrow, so we can discuss your sex life and our new business venture."

Brooke chuckled, "Call me if you need anything, P. Sawyer."

"I will B. Davis."

Brooke sat alone at the kitchen table for a few minutes before Lucas walked in, "Is your friend okay?" she shook her head, "Feel like talking?"

* * *

Okay please review. I know I haven't mentioned it but I really appreciate your input, and I love reading your reviews. It really helps the process when I read how much you guys like this.

I know I mentioned the streak in Brooke's hair and basically forgot about it, but there will be some more references about why she got it in the next chapter, so don't worry.

This chapter was more filler for me, setting some things up, like the new business plans, so next chapter expect Brooke and Peyton embarking on their new business venture. Jake finally making an appearance. Possibly a cameo for Haley and Nathan. But more importantly the thing that some of you guys have been asking for drum roll please…… Lucas and Dylan bonding, in which our Mini Brooke and Luke have a convo about his wardrobe choices, Jamie, and Brooke.

-Em


	7. Chapter 7

They were sitting in silence. Brooke had said she wanted to talk, but she hadn't said a word for fifteen minutes according to Lucas's watch.

"So..." he started.

"Do you believe love can last?" Brooke asked suddenly, playing with the Oreo in her hand, "Peyton and Jake were together for years, Luke, _years _and cause Jake is being a child and not committing they're both heartbroken." Lucas said nothing and she continued, "I loved Dylan's dad. I really truly did."

"Are you still- ehem- in love with him?" Lucas asked and unconsciously held his breath.

Brooke put the Oreo down and looked up at him, "No. And that's what kills me. I thought I was going to be with him forever. In fact we said we'd be together forever, and then one day I woke up and forever seemed too long, and too far."

"I've never been married." Lucas said softly, and shrugged, "But I think that when it's right…" he paused standing and putting the glass in the sink, "When it's right forever isn't long enough." He turned to leave, "I'll see you tomorrow Brooke."

Brooke nodded and listened till she was sure he had left before breaking down in tears on her kitchen table.

"Brooke?" Dylan asked softly from the kitchen door. Wiping all the stray tears from her eyes, Brooke looked up, "Oh hey baby. I thought you were studying with Jamie."

"He just left a couple minutes after Lucas. What's the matter Brooke?"

"I'm just sad hon." Brooke shrugged, trying to play it off like it was nothing, but Dylan saw through her.

"About Aunt Peyton and Uncle Jake?"

Brooke nodded, "Yeah, about them. And about me. A little about you also."

"Me? Why are you sad about me?" Dylan was genuinely surprised.

"I let you down baby." Brooke started and held up her hand to silence Dylan when she tried to protest, "I brought you into a world where you had a mom and a dad together and we had money when we lived with your dad, and you were going to that private school, and everything was better for you."

Dylan shook her head, "Everything wasn't better for me. I was going to a private school with rich bitches and snobs who all thought they were better than me cause their parents came from old money, and they all had trust funds. Andrew was never there as it was. He was always off working on his cases. I grew up without a dad, this is no different for me. And as for the money- tons of people don't have any money and they adjust to life just fine. Some better than fine." Dylan placed her hand on Brooke's shoulder, "Everything wasn't better for me, because _you_ weren't happy. I know that I'm supposed to be the only thing in your life and blah blah blah, but Brooke, you're allowed to be happy." Brooke looked ready to started crying again, "Why not try being happy again with Lucas?"

Shaking her head immediately, Brooke stood, "No. Lucas is an infant."

"Lucas is a _doctor_." Dylan said amused that Brooke could go from crying to denial in a few short minutes.

"Lucas wears shirts with Power Rangers, and Spongebob."

"Ok, I will agree with you that it is weird that I can't remember ever seeing Lucas without a cartoon character on some article of clothing he wears, but so what?" Dylan shrugged, "I think he likes you."

Ignoring her comment Brooke continued, "The back seat of his car is full of empty Happy Meal boxes."

"So's the back seat of Uncle Jake's car." Dylan laughed enjoying seeing Brooke all riled up.

"Yes and Jake is the perfect example of maturity at this moment." Brooke agreed sarcastically.

"You have a point." Dylan paused, "What's Peyton gonna do?"

"Peyton is gonna be fine. Either Jake is going to come to his senses and fix this or she'll be heartbroken for a little while, but we'll help her out."

Dylan nodded and glanced at the clock, "I'm going to bed." Brooke kissed Dylan on the forehead as she passed, "I still think you should date him."

"Go." Brooke said, effectively ending the conversation.

* * *

"How'd you sleep?" Were the first words out of Brooke's mouth when she entered the small boutique she managed.

"Crappy." Peyton responded sipping her coffee and wordlessly handing Brooke a cup, "I haven't been without Jake in… I don't even know. I mean yeah we'd go the occasional night without each other, I'd be with you or my dad and he'd be with his parents or someone but-"

"But you always knew that you'd be back with each other the next night." Brooke finished, wrapping an arm around her best friend, "I know. That's how I felt when I left Andrew, only you probably feel twenty times worse, because I wasn't in love with Andrew in the end."

Peyton nodded, "You didn't have to come in today." Brooke added, "I could have managed."

Peyton was silent for a few minutes fingering through some clothes on the rack, before turning back to Brooke, "Would you think I was weak if I told you it's because I don't want to be alone?" she asked in a strained voice.

Brooke's heart broke as she wrapped Peyton in a hug, "Never."

Pulling away from the embrace Peyton wiped her eyes, "Okay, none of this. We have things to discuss."

Brooke nodded, and pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it to Peyton. Curiously Peyton opened it and started flipping through pages of designs, "What…what is this? These are- Brooke these are fantastic."

"I never stopped." Brooke shrugged, "I got pregnant with Dyl at twenty and Andrew didn't want me working, remember? So this was how I filled my days. For fourteen years."

"Fourteen years." Peyton whispered softly still flipping through the pages.

* * *

At three o'clock that afternoon Lucas pulled his car up to the building. Today hadn't been such a bad day in the ER. People had still come in with injuries and such, of course, but Lucas hadn't lost anyone and he was pretty happy about that.

About the time he was opening the lobby doors Dylan and Jamie walked up behind him, book-bags hanging off their backs.

"Hey guys." He held the door open for them.

"Hey Uncle Luke." Jamie said not taking his eyes off of Dylan.

"Neighbor." Dylan greeted in her usual way.

"What are you two up to?"

"Studying till his parents pick him up, and then I'm starving to death till Brooke gets home." Dylan shrugged, "Why? What are you doing?"

"Whoa." Lucas said before answering, "Brooke isn't home?" Jamie looked up from his Dylan staring, to send his uncle a questioning gaze, "And you're both going to go upstairs? _Alone?_" Off Dylan's nod, he shook his head, "No. No you are not."

"What?" Jamie asked.

"You're both coming to my apartment to study till Nathan or Haley comes to pick Jamie up." He turned to face Dylan, "And then we can starve to death together waiting for your mom to come make us dinner."

"You're an adult." Dylan said, apparently not as upset as Jamie was by not being alone, "Shouldn't you know how to cook?"

"I do know how to cook," he said shuffling her up the stairs, Jamie sulkily following, "toast, eggs, bacon, ramen."

"The four food groups?" Dylan giggled.

"Exactly." He nodded, opening the door for both of them.

"Thanks." Dylan said referring to Luke holding the door for her.

"Yeah,_thanks_." Jamie said glaring at his uncle, to which Lucas smacked the back of his head.

* * *

"So you know what Friday is right?" Jamie whispered to Dylan so Lucas, who was in the living room couldn't hear.

"Yeah, it's the fifth day of the week, or the sixth, depending on how you start your week. Some people start with Sunday and end with Saturday, but some people start on Monday and end on Sunday. Why are you whispering?"

Lucas bit his lip and tried to concentrate on his laptop and ignore his nephew crashing and burning with his neighbor. But it was just so funny. He hadn't realized just how much like Nathan Jamie really was.

"No reason." Jamie said in a slightly louder tone.

There was a knock on the door and Lucas called, "Come in."

"Alright, you need to speak to your brother." Haley said without so much as a hello, as she flopped onto Luke's couch.

"About what?" Lucas sighed, hitting the save button on his computer and moving to sit next to her, "And I have company by the way."

"Please," Dylan said reaching to grab her notebook, "Pay no attention to me. I have an apartment I could be in right now."

"Yeah with no parental supervision." Lucas said rolling his eyes and glaring at his nephew, "You can sit back down and finish your homework until Jamie goes home."

Dylan rolled her eyes and laughed, "Brooke is gonna be so proud. She's been waiting for years for me to make some guys relatives weary about leaving him alone with me."

"Its not you he's worried about, sweetie." Haley said, "It's my son, who's too much like his father for his own good."

"You do all realize I'm standing right here, right?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah, we see you." Dylan nodded, and turned back to her schoolbooks.

Lucas shook his head laughing. Even Haley saw how much alike Nathan and Jamie really were. Though that shouldn't really surprise him as much as it did because Haley was his mother. It's just that Haley was always blind to who Nathan really was in high school, mostly because she's the one who eventually changed him. For the better, of course. Though ever since their divorce Nathan seemed to be reverting back to his womanizing ways, just so he could deny the fact that he was still in love with her. He turned back to face Haley, "So tell me what my dear brother has done now?"

Haley looked over at Jamie and Dylan and jerked her head to the door, "Hallway." Not wanting to say anything bad about Jamie's father in front of him.

Lucas nodded and followed her, but not before sending a mock warning glare at Dylan, and a real warning glare to Jamie.

"If this is going to be one of those conversations where you complain about the things that Nathan does before admitting you still love him then you can save it." Lucas said before Haley could speak.

"I do not-" she stopped, "Well I mean of course I still love him. He's Jamie's father. I can't not love him."

"Right but you're _in_ love with him." Haley didn't say anything, as she leaned against the wall, "Jamie, I think your mom's ready to go." Lucas called into his apartment before moving to give Haley a goodbye hug, "Well kid, it's just you and me." He added closing the door once Haley and Jamie were gone.

Dylan looked at her watch, "Yeah and Brooke will be home in a half hour."

"So what do you feel like doing till then?" he asked.

"Asking you personal probing questions?" she said, with a small grin.

"I don't have any secrets Pipsqueak." He shrugged sitting down next to her. He knew Dylan had meant it as a joke, but anything he told her that made him look like a good guy would help get Brooke, "Ask away."

Dylan looked up surprised before asking, "What's up with that shirt?" she pointed to his Power Ranger tee that was slung across a chair.

Lucas chuckled, "I got that shirt when I decided I wanted to be a doctor, years back."

"Cause the power rangers beat evil like you beat sickness?" she asked clueless.

Lucas laughed harder, and shook his head, "Cause I knew I'd be studying my ass off for years and I wanted to try and keep some of my youth."

Dylan tilted her head, "That's it? The big mystery is solved, it's just to remind you that you're not an old man."

Lucas shrugged, "Sorry to disappoint. I bought the Power Rangers when I made the decision. I bought my Alvin and the Chipmunks shirt when I got accepted to medical school, Jamie bought me a Rocky and Bullwinkle tie when I started in the ER. I don't think he knew the whole youth thing, he just noticed his uncles fondness for cartoon apparel." Dylan nodded, grinning, "Though I will admit that from time to time I will sit down on Saturday mornings and kick back to some cartoons."

Rolling her eyes and giggling, Dylan tilted her head to the right, obviously trying to think of another question, but Lucas beat her to it, "So what do you think of Jamie?"

A bright red blush crept onto her cheeks, as she avoided eye contact and said, "We're friends." She shrugged and added, "He's nice."

"Don't make me go all high school here Dyl." Lucas groaned, rolling his eyes at her, "You know what I'm asking you."

"What do you think of Brooke?" Dylan countered, attempting a look of challenge that the twinge of pink on her cheeks didn't really pull off.

"I-what?" Lucas stuttered, "I think you're mom's nice."

Dylan nodded, "You're friends?" Lucas nodded and turned from her, "That's what I thought."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Lucas stared at the clock on his wall. Haley had given it to him for his thirty-sixth birthday. It had Papa Smurf on it… Maybe he'd let this cartoon thing get a little too out of hand. He didn't even like the Smurfs, but he was grateful to have it, so he could say _I couldn't possibly be a thirty-six year old. I have a Smurf clock_.

"What-uh what does you're mom think of me?" Lucas asked in a tone that said he really didn't care either way.

Dylan grinned and looked at him, "She thinks you're nice, you're friends." She nodded, and Lucas smiled.

"I need to buy a new clock." He said, and Dylan looked at him funny. He shook his head, "Never mind." She nodded still confused, "Come on, let's go wait for your mom to feed us upstairs."

"Fine by me." Dylan said, putting her stuff into her book bag, while Lucas took down his Smurf clock.

"Wait for me," Lucas said grabbing his cell phone and walking into his bedroom, "Nate?" he asked when his brother picked up, "Whatever you did to Haley, apologize. And cancel that date you set me up on."

"Why?" Nathan asked suspiciously.

"Because I am thirty-seven years old and I'm going to date the mom." Nathan laughed as Lucas said goodbye.

* * *

Brooke sighed as she parked her car in front of the building. The day had been far too long for her liking. This new business was going to cost a lot of money. She wasn't stupid enough to assume it was all just going to be handed to them, but she had never imagined how much of her savings it would drain if they went through with it.

Peyton had only herself to support and now that she was living with her father again the only bill she had was her cell phone. Brooke had to support Dylan and pay electric, cable, rent, and many more.

It was a good idea when they were in high school but now… maybe they shouldn't risk it. What if no one liked her designs? What if people didn't want to take a chance and invest in two nobodies clothing line?

Too many what ifs.

"Brooke!" she heard someone call as she stepped out of her car. _Oh great_ just what her night needed.

"Andrew." She said flatly.

* * *

Okay so this is an apology to all of you. I'm not too sure about this chapter. I thought it started out strong, then sorta tapered out by the end.

I hope you guys liked the Lucas and Dylan bonding, and when Lucas realized his actual feelings for Brooke. He thinks she's _nice._ And they're _friends_.

I've been going over it in my head for days now and the other day I was watching my friends kid and she was telling me about a boy and I asked her if she liked him and she said, he was nice and they were friends, in that way that kid's talk about their crushes, and I realized it would be perfect for Lucas and Dylan with their Brooke and Jamie infatuations.

The only part that _ I'm_ not 100 happy with is the cartoon apparel explanation. The reason Lucas gave is the real reason and has been since I started this fic, I just feel that I let it go too long without giving the explanation that it almost feels weird and I'm really sorry you guys, if that's how it feels for you.

Anyway I like to think that I'm learning from my mistakes, so please stick with me.

And don't forget to review.

-Em

P.S.- sorry I couldn't fit Jake in, but he will be in the next chapter. I promise. Expect to see:

Jake

Lucas and Nathan having a real convo about what Lucas meant when he said he was going to date the mom. And probably the Naley relationship, if I can fit it in.

Jamie FINALLY asking Dylan out.

And well obviously Brooke dealing with whatever Andrew wants.


	8. Not An Update Author's Note Please Read

Okay I just wanted to let all of you know that I won't be updating for a little while. I'm very sorry, but my grandma was just diagnosed with cancer and she's moving in with us. So the next couple weeks are gonna be very busy for me. I'll try to update as soon as possible, but I just don't see it happening before April.

I'm sorry guys.


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